Real Madrid's bid to end Barcelona's two-year reign as Spanish champions suffered a major setback when their injury-hit side slumped to a shock 1-0 defeat at home to Sporting Gijon in La Liga on Saturday.
-- Coach Mourinho's nine-year unbeaten run ended
The loss at a stunned Bernabeu, three days before Real host Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League, spoiled the club's perfect home record of 14 wins this season and ended coach Jose Mourinho's own nine-year unbeaten run in home league games. It also handed Barca a chance to stretch their advantage at the top to eight points with eight games left if they can win at Villarreal in the late kickoff (2000 GMT).
"Mathematics say the league is not lost but objectively speaking if the gap goes from five to eight points we can say that it's almost impossible," Mourinho told a news conference.
"Luck is part of football and our opponent (Gijon) had it all and we had none." Real's Spain defender Sergio Ramos added in a television interview: "A big part of the league has slipped away from us." Asked whether the defeat meant the end of their hopes of catching Barca, Ramos added: "Being realistic, yes more or less. There are very few points left available.
"You cannot blame the team in any way as the ball just unfortunately wouldn't go in today. It's very sad to lose when you have so many chances." Joint La Liga top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, in-form striker Karim Benzema and fullback Marcelo all missed the game through injury and Real initially struggled to create chances against their obstinate visitors.
Gonzalo Higuain, making his first appearance in four months after back surgery, squandered a fine opportunity on the hour when he blasted straight at goalkeeper Juan Pablo shortly after coming on as a substitute. Gijon grabbed a surprise lead 19 minutes later when Miguel Angel de las Cuevas burst into the area from the left wing and struck a precise shot that beat goalkeeper Iker Casillas to his right and went in off the post.
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